Darrell Bock on studying the gospels
The Resurgence caught up with Darrell Bock at the recent Christian Book Expo. In this video he gives a quick synopsis of how to study Matthew-Luke as opposed to John.
[vimeo 3852520]
Why Pastors Should Blog
I recently came across this article written by Abraham Piper.
It’s 6 reasons pastors should blog…good insight.
Understanding Your Bible with Dr. Art Azurdia
I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am to have Dr. Art Azurdia from Western Seminary here with us this weekend.
I have been privileged to attend 3 preaching practicums with Dr. Azurdia and they have really helped me in my quest to be the best Bible teacher and preacher that I can be. Art is a rare combination of both brilliance and humility and his focus on Christocentricity and the gospel has been a tremendous blessing to me.
Art will be teaching a free one day seminar here at the church called Understanding Your Bible from 9am-3pm on Saturday Feb. 7th and then preaching both services here at Calvary on Sunday.
If you live in the NW and have some time this weekend I encourage you to make the drive and attend this seminar it will change how you read and study the Bible.
If you live in Central Oregon then come on it’s a no brainer! Oh and if you live in Prineville then it might qualify as sin if you don’t get yourself out of bed to attend this class. 
Click here for address and contact information for our church.
New series in Luke
With the Christmas season upon us I am beginning a new series in the book of Luke tomorrow.
I am excited to bring the life of Jesus (His humanity, His deity, His quest for relationship with mankind, His call to leave this world and all its lusts behind and to surrender your life to Him, His sacrificial death, His Divine resurrection) to people in desperate need of Him. I know that each one of these truths will transform hearts and lives for His kingdom.
I plan to teach through the book of Luke in about 36 studies (should be finished by the end of summer).
Yep…less than 2 messages per chapter!
Crazy I know.
I just feel like the Lord wants us to look at this book with a wide lens, gleaning the major themes (mainly that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost – 19:10).
Now certainly the gospel of Luke could be taught at a much slower pace than we’re going to take but I’m not sure that the Bible was meant to be read or taught with a magnifying glass either. I’ve heard of pastors camping out in certain books (usually Romans) for years on end; preaching sermon after sermon on single verses. I’m sure that intellects and analytical people eat this up, but the rest of us end up lost in the details.
I like to take a macro approach to Bible teaching…looking at the forest from the aerial view. Pointing out the significant landmarks and features while moving on so as to not lose the forest through the trees.
What say you?
How do you teach? How do you learn better?
Ridiculous
Have you ever noticed that God seems to function in the realm of the ridiculous?
At least from a human perspective. His very nature goes against the grain of what makes “common sense.”
“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (1 Cor. 1:20)
Application=Revelation
I love new stuff.
It is natural to be enamored with new. If you’re like me you love new clothes…new jeans with an old look. A new shirt to go along with the 30 others that are hanging in the closet (sad but true)…a new watch…new shoes…just talking about it makes me want to go shopping for something new!
I know I sound like a chick.
Don’t worry though I love to kill stuff and my truck has big tires with a lift. 
I’m part metro…part redneck. It’s a real wierd combination but that’s how I roll.
Metroneck…if this term becomes famous remember you read it here first.
Jesus is the BEST thing about us
This is something that I say to our church constantly. It’s not our outreaches…our programs…our modern worship…our welcoming atmosphere…it’s certainly not our funky folding chairs or our cramped storefront.
And God knows it’s not the short, fat, bald guy that teaches every week
No the best thing about Calvary Chapel of Crook County is Jesus.
When people step through the door of our church I want them to experience Jesus. Not the Jesus of their own making. You know the one who smiles a lot and exists to make us happy because he’s really nice.
No what people need is the real Jesus. The One who compels us to take up our cross and live a life of humility, selflessness, and service. The One whose humble condescension and loving sacrifice demand us to lay our lives down and follow Him. Any other Jesus is a sham. Milli Vanilli without the dreds.
As a I pastor I desire to point people to the real Jesus. As a Bible teacher I want to take every text and make Jesus come alive to the listener. As a church planter my goal for our church is that it draws people into a deeper more intimate relationship with Jesus.
I don’t want people to just “enjoy” the services and ministries we offer. It saddens me when people show up with no heart to be changed. You know the people who say, “that was great worship” or “wonderful message pastor” but then depart to completely forget what was said and to have their lives remain exactly the same. I want our people to have an amazing encounter with their Creator who is longing to have a living dynamic relationship with them.
“Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, ‘Sir, we wish to see Jesus’.” (John 12:20-21)
This is the true need of every person that darkens the door of our churches. They need to see Jesus. Like the women with the issue of blood they desperately need to be touched by Jesus.
I pray every week that the people who attend our services will be arrested in their spirit having their hearts captured by the Lover of their Soul. I don’t want anyone to walk away without being challenged to wrestle with and personally apply the truths we discussed.
Sadly though many people will never truly experience the Jesus we so passionately worship and preach about. They are content to sing 5 songs, drop a few bucks in the box, listen to the sermon while checking their watch and return to their life unchallenged and unchanged.
It’s the sad reality of humanity. It’s the discouraging dichotomy of ministry. Some get it some don’t. There’s not much we can do about it. In fact there’s nothing we can do about it.
Jesus is the best thing about us. When people realize that it will change everything.
Humility
I’ve been thinking a lot about this subject lately…for two reasons really.
1. I am teaching through Philippians on Sunday mornings and it’s a major theme of the book.
2. It’s the Christmas season and the Ultimate Act of Humility is found in the Christmas Story.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5)
Jesus was the most humble man that ever walked this earth. He holds the highest possible position, God, and yet He took the lowest position by allowing Himself to be falsely accused, mocked, stripped naked, beaten, savagely whipped, drug through the streets of Jerusalem, and then nailed to a cross…all for our sins. All for the joy that was set before Him; that is the securing of a relationship with you and me. Jesus longed to have a deep meaningful relationship with us and His condenscension was the only way to make it possible.
It stands to reason then that as His followers we would make humility a top priority…but do we? (more…)